Vishal on producer Ashok Kumar’s death: Consider this as a murder and not suicide

Vishal on producer Ashok Kumar’s death: Consider this as a murder and not suicide

Tamil filmmaker Ashok Kumar killed himself on Tuesday at his residence in Chennai. He has left a suicide note, in which he has blamed an influential financier for pushing him to take this extreme step.

Reacting to the tragic incident of Tamil film producer Ashok Kumar’s suicide, President of Tamil Film Producers’ Council and actor Vishal has requested the police investigating the case to consider it as a case of murder. Asking all the film producers to unite and protect each other in the industry, he also gave a warning to financiers who charge exorbitant interests.

“It’s time, we put an end to such financiers who harass producers & conduct kattapanjayathu. We wish all Producers stay united and work towards the welfare of each one of us. I request the Police to take stringent action and bring justice to the innocent’s death & also consider this as a Murder & not Suicide,” he said in a statement.

Ashok Kumar killed himself on Tuesday at his residence in Chennai. He has left a suicide note, in which he has blamed an influential financier for pushing him to take this extreme step. The accused financier is a Madurai native with whom Ashok is said to have had business transactions for about seven years. However, for that last six months, the harassment from the financier intensified, including threats.

“This is a direct warning to all Financiers, likeminded people & so-called federations who extort money, more than the stipulated interest and to the people who harass honest producers & family members,” said Vishal, calling himself as one of the producers that have been affected by practices of the loan sharks in the industry.

“It is high time, all you people who have been conducting kangaroo courts time and again to stop harassing producers, it’s time for u all to run, since this death will be the last death and it will be an example to bring out all atrocities that’s been happening in the Tamil film Industry (sic),” he said in the statement posted on his Facebook page. He also vowed to put an end to such harassments.

Ashok had co-produced actor-director Sasikumar’s films like Eesan, Poraali and upcoming Kodi Veeran. He was also a relative of Sasikumar.

The police have booked the accused financiers under the section of 306 (abetment of suicide) of the IPC.